High PH and Plants

I've read that water with a pH in the mid 8.0's and higher cannot hold enough CO2 to support most plants. Is this correct?

One way to lower the pH and introduce enough CO2 is through injection.

Would another option be to use a buffer, like PH Down? Would this cause any problems, other than to make the KH / PH / CO2 chart unuseable?

Thanks.

Bill

 

Re: High PH and Plants

I think at pH 8.5 CO2 ceases to exist in water, or so I've been told. Perhaps Excel would work at that level.

I have high pH well water, in the 8's. I dilute it with soft, acid water and manage to do reasonably well with my low tech tanks. But it would seem that using a buffer would be easier, if it didn't hurt anything else, and I am beginning to think that it won't.

Bill